1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to guards for rotating machinery and more specifically to an adjustable rotating shaft guard which may be modified to accommodate different shaft heights and lengths.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
A problem frequently encountered with shielding rotating shafts is the lack of a universal guard which may be adapted to cover a variety of rotating shaft set-ups. Most guards are custom made specifically for a particular piece of machinery. Building custom guards is both time consuming and expensive, since a maintenance worker must use many hours to fabricate the guard and then install it. Further, many guards once installed are not easily removable. Guards must be periodically removed to replace a coupler, clutch, or to provide maintenance to a machine.
Accordingly, there is a clearly felt need in the art for an adjustable rotating shaft guard which may be modified to fit different machine set-ups and which provides efficient access for maintenance.